http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/massachusetts/antique-places-ma/

WE WON BEST ANTIQUE SHOP IN HARWICH AND 2ND PLACE FOR THE REGION BY THE READER'S CHOICE AWARDS! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED FOR US!!!

We've had some nice things said about us recently:

CBS Boston – “One of the best antique shops on Cape Cod”

There’s nothing stuffy about this antique shop. Harwich Antique Center proclaims itself to be the place to go for “Odd, old, cool, and collectible” goods, and it achieves this aim 10 times over. If you’re looking for something truly unique, it is the place to go. Fun and funky are the words most often used to describe the selection here. And, with about a hundred different dealers all under this one roof, you’re sure to find a little bit of everything. This is another shop that you will want to put aside plenty of time to comb through.http://boston.cbslocal.com/top-lists/bostons-best-antique-shops-on-cape-cod/BGKING & COMPANY:

On Tuesday I drove to the Cape in the hopes of wading through some bureaucracy to get a permit for my Summer Project. I had a couple of hours before I needed to see the building inspector so I headed off to Harwich Antique Center, one of our favorite spots to visit. They have a great selection of vendors, with lots of vintage jewelry, original art, and coins for the serious collector.
I found this sweet little vase in the back of the shop. The bottom of the vase is marked with the name “Kreeger”. I googled the name and found a gentleman in Austin, TX who used to be on the Cape. I emailed him a picture of the vase because I was curious to see if he was the potter. I was so excited this morning to see he replied and yes, he is the potter. His name is Keith Kreeger and he told me it is one of his earlier pieces, probably from around 2005. Not exactly an antique but I love it anyway.

Right before I was about to leave I found the apothecary bottle shown above. The vendor had three of them and two of them still had corks. I am not sure what they were used for but I loved the amber color. Also they are very large, approximately 14 inches tall. I think mine will make a great vase and I hope to fill it with forsythia branches.
The visit to the Harwich Antique Center was definitely the highlight of my day. When I met the building inspector he told me I needed to get sign offs from the Health Department and Conservation Commission. The Health Department readily signed off because the porch is not near our septic but the Conservation Commission would not sign because the property is in a flood zone and I need to fill out a Request for Determination of Applicability to be reviewed by the Commission. It sure seems like a lot of hoops to jump through but I am determined to get this done so the mission continues.

ANTIQUING IN HARWICH, MASSACHUSETTS

This past weekend, on a trip to visit family on Cape Cod, we stopped in at Harwich Antiques Center at 10 Route 28. It’s directly across the street from Friendly’s Restaurant (yes, that is a landmark for some dinosaurs!). In any event, if you’re ever in the area, check it out. They always have wonderful things–a huge variety of collectibles from furniture to pottery to jewelry. The candy tin below caught our eye because of the wonderful shade of turquoise and the elaborate finial top. It was made by the Blue Bird Confectionery in Hunnington England; part of a special limited edition. This would make a great addition to an otherwise ho-hum bookcase.

An amazingly rare (and complete) collection of Wedgwood “Asia” pattern including 18 dinner, 18 salad, 18 bread and butter, and more were ripe for the taking at $1,100. The teapot is beautiful, but not for sale on its own. Dealers rarely break up compete sets like this one. We wonder if this pattern is still being made.
A nod to the time when this collection was most popular, we noticed a cigarette box, ash tray, and small relish bowls.
This early 19th century maple table (the top is one board), with turned grain legs was a steal at $295. With some TLC, this piece could be one that serves many functions in any home.
Lusterware in this silver and white finish is very hard to find. The metal (in this case either silver or platinum) was dissolved and then applied with a brush by hand to a piece of pottery before it was fired.
A 19th century pie safe from North Carolina with its original hardware was being sold for under $995. In the right dining room, piece this could be really charming. We’d probably paint it.
Our current obsession: vintage bar carts and all things related to them. We came away with this set of vintage green and gold painted glass cocktail glasses 7-small, 6-Large, for $32. We’re planning on hosting a drinks party this fall just for an opportunity to bring these out. What are you all planning?

House of LaRue; Harwich Antique Center; Shop TherapyCape Cod has no shortage of gift shops, but what if you're in the market for a taxidermy weasel, aphrodisiac smoke or cement zen frog? Running the gamut from absurd to zany, each of these 10 Cape Cod stores offers a shopping experience unlike any other over the bridge. Enjoy!

HARWICH ANTIQUE CENTER

With over 40 dealers, the Harwich Antique Center has enough vintage furniture, signage and creepy dolls to fill a bizarre bazaar [see: mask].

Platinumpebble.com voted us 1 of the top reasons to pick Harwich for your vacation.

lINKTOWN.WCNC.COM REVIEWS:
Kim S.
Favorite Stop ★★★★☆
I love visiting this antique center. Lot's and lot's to look at. I always seem to go home with something. The employees are very helpful, if you are looking for something specific they know if there is a dealer that carries it or not, without having to look around.
Ann Marie P. great changing selection ★★★★☆
my opinion is this antique center is the best place to look for collectibles or furniture on the cape. i always look forward in stopping here since the display areas are quite large. look for yourself.
Ella C.
great shop!!! This place has a little bit of everything - I found items for $1 and into the hundreds that were in beautiful shape and unique. Love this place!
We've been mentioned in blogs:
Shineyredhouses.blogspot.com

More field trips and some treasure...

Today was a grey day here on Cape Cod so the girls and I planned an outing. We were headed for the mall where the lure of a carousel and an arcade with skee ball convinced them to get out of their pajamas and brush their teeth.The traffic on the only highway on and off of Cape Cod was terrible so we traveled local roads. We took Route 28 which just happens to be the road on which the Harwich Antique Center can be found. The girls protested loudly when I suggested that we stop. We stopped anyway. And they loved it! I love that little chair with the quilt. Someone got very creative with an old tablecloth. I wish that I had purchased that red tray doohicky. What is that thing called?The kids wanted to explore everything. The rule was they could touch anything as long as it cost less than $5. Lily had a hard time remembering this rule. When I found her examining a $500 model train I knew that it was time to leave. This bike made me swoon. I just loved it.There were so many shops along the way that I wanted to explore, but I didn't want to push my luck. The children have a limited attention span for junk. Unlike their mother who never tires of the dust and sweet musty smell of good old junk.Here are my vacation treasures so far. I love little pitchers. I'll show you my collection some time. Have you ever seen anything sweeter than these mousie salt and pepper shakers? I hope they have little mousie salt and pepper shaker babies.I even found something for David.He makes television shows. I love buying old cameras and camera equipment for his office.Being here is wonderful but after about four days I start to get homesick. By day five I am itching to get home. This area is so beautiful- all the cottages and hydrangeas make me eager to get home and putter in my garden and move things around in my house. Inevitably I arrive home and start rearranging things before I've even unpacked.In other news, tomorrow I am sending Dolly her American Express giftcard and will be announcing a new giveaway tomorrow. Here's a hint: It's my favorite way to relax on the beach!

The Ring - http://www.saraleeperel.com/Love_Story_of_a_Ring.html

It was a deliciously forbidden feeling to shop for a diamond ring. We went through nearly all of the Cape’s co-ops, looking at old jewelry. But it was at the Harwich Antiques Center that I found it. A magnificent ring with historical richness of worn platinum filigree. On the card was the name of its original owner, Etta Davenport, and it was dated in the late 1800’s. I tried it on. It fit perfectly. Bob’s eyes lit up when he saw how I looked at it so passionately.I turned my hand this way and that, the aged diamond sparkling under the lights. I wondered what Etta felt when she first put it on. Was she thrilled? Did she wear it every day until she died? Did she worry about losing it when she was doing laundry or digging in the sand with her children?It was truly a masterpiece and I would have loved it. But no, I couldn’t buy it. Too frivolous. Who buys themselves a diamond ring, for heaven’s sake?That night over dinner, Bob said, “It looked wonderful on you.”“Well, have you looked at the ‘bills to be paid’ file lately?”“You take something away from me by not treating yourself,” he said later while we did the dishes.I had a dream about the ring that night. I dreamed it was in a fire and the platinum was gone forever. I searched through the ashes for the diamond but never found it.So the next morning, I found Bob weeding the front garden. “I’ve been thinking about the ring,” I said. “I really do love it.” He stopped pulling up old thistle. “Let’s just do it,” I said. And he joyously came in the house to change before we drove back to the antique center.In their parking lot, he held up our check book, grinned like a kid, and said, “I’m ready!”I felt so naughty rushing to the glass display case, and with the excitement of a child at Christmas, I looked for the ring.It was gone. (side note: Her husband had come back and bought it for her!!!)

eBay: I Can Quit Anytime I Want

At the Harwich Antique Center, I overheard two shoppers laughing.
“Can you believe I can actually sell broken china on eBay?” one said
to the other. Standing nearby I laughed too, in a knowingly, “Can you
believe it?” way. Then I went home to find a mail delivery that
included a Steubenville casserole I couldn’t pick up in one piece
because of the cracks, a lidless teapot and a plate so crazed I couldn’t
tell if the print was roses or ancient Roman goddesses.
But here’s the thing. I knew all this ahead of time and I bid on them
anyway.
I want you to know I’m not addicted to eBay. I can go at least four
days without bidding, as long as there’s chocolate in the house.
“How can you throw away money on this junk?” my husband, Bob,
asked. “You know when something says ‘as is’ it means it’s either
broken or doesn’t work.”
“First of all, the sellers always say if something’s broken. And second
of all, nobody says, ‘as is’ anymore. They say, ‘as found.’ We’ve gotten
a lot more sophisticated.”
“What exactly is the difference between those two terms?”
“The difference?” I bent down to tie a shoe which didn’t have any
laces. “It’s obvious, of course. The difference is . . . um . . . it’s . . .
.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Once, I was outbid on Steubenville china at the last minute. And I
mean in the last sixty seconds. I was livid. I emailed the seller and
screamed, “IT’S NOT FAIR! I NEED THIS CHINA! THE PERSON WHO
BOUGHT IT DOESN’T NEED IT!” I emailed the buyer, a woman in Ohio
named Laurie, and offered to give her ten dollars above the price she
paid. There’s a place on eBay’s website where you can leave
“feedback” on your experience with particular buyers and sellers.
Most people do this. My feedback says I’m a “lunatic who will buy
anything.”
3/18/2014 I Can Quit eBay
http://www.saraleeperel.com/I_Can_Quit_eBay.html 2/3
This all started when my mother gave me eight plates - the
remainders of Grandma’s Passover china. It’s beautiful and reminds
me, sorrowfully and sweetly, of days gone by. I think collecting it
somehow makes me feel less sad that I cared so little for things
important to my grandmother, like the connectedness she found in
following her traditions.
I care more about these things now. But unfortunately, so does Laurie.
She wouldn’t take my ten dollar offer. To her, this china in some way
keeps alive a friend no longer on this earth, with whom she began a
collection of this pattern. I wish she hadn’t told me this story.
Now, when our pattern shows up, it is with enormous guilt that I outbid
her, in the same cutthroat manner, I remind you, she first outbid me -
which is in the very last minute.
For those not familiar with the process, here’s how it works. First you
find the website, eBay.com. Then you type in what you are looking for.
With Steubenville, usually about 150 items show up. You scroll down to
find the pattern you want. Click to open that page, and bid, following
the easy instructions listed there. Then as the days of the auction
proceed, eBay will let you know by email if you’ve been outbid. You
then have the chance to up your ante.
So now, there is no more room in my house for china. I have to hide
plates in my bureau and between the sheets in the linen cabinet.
Last week, Bob sat me down for an eBay intervention. He calmly but
assertively confronted me on my addiction.
“You’re powerless over eBay,” he said. “You can’t do this by yourself
any more. You need help.” He gently cupped my chin in his hands and
looked me lovingly in the eyes. “You mean the world to me. I can’t just
sit back and watch you destroy your life like this.” He blinked so I
wouldn’t see him crying but I could. With a trembling quiet voice, he
said, “You must call upon a higher power.”
I looked down at my hands, the fingers that press the keys, the
instruments that feed my addiction and I solemnly acknowledged to
myself that he was right. I slowly lifted my eyes to his and said,
“Amazon.com?”
Then he called our internet provider and begged them to invent a
parental block service so I couldn’t connect to eBay’s website any
more.
Last week, Laurie emailed to tell me about a bad experience that
happened after she had sent a check for four saucers in our pattern.
The seller, Laurie felt, had misrepresented the china and it turned out
to be four plain small plates, which wouldn’t nest teacups. This china,
as I said, means more to her than just china, which I guess is how it is
with most things we decide are valuable.
But I couldn’t get the thought out of my mind that this particular
pattern in some beautiful way kept Laurie’s friend in her life.
Later, when I told Bob about her situation, he said, “This is a perfect
chance to make amends for your addiction. Look into your heart and
do the right thing. I know you have only four saucers, but they would
mean more to Laurie than they would to you.”
What Bob didn’t know . . . is that I had already sent the saucers . . .
gift wrapped, from an anonymous eBay seller who claimed to have a
few extras and was looking for someone who might like them.
I knew Bob would be proud of me, so I eventually told him. And I think
Laurie was pleased, although I’ll never know.
And so, I’ve come to understand the following: There is no cure for
eBay addiction. For the rest of my life, I’ll be in recovery, one dish at a
3/18/2014 I Can Quit eBay
http://www.saraleeperel.com/I_Can_Quit_eBay.html 3/3
C opyright 2014. Saralee Perel. All rights reserved.
time. So here’s my plan.
1. I’m going to learn to, “Just say no.” This will not include chocolate.
2. I won’t bribe or repeatedly threaten people who outbid me.
3. I’ll become a social bidder - maybe just on weekends.
So don’t worry about me. As you can see, I’ve taken that most
important first step, admitting I am powerless over eBay. Now, it’s
time to face my recovery head-on, in a courageous step-by-step
manner. That is, after I place just one more bid - a Steubenville gravy
boat with a little hole in the bottom.
After that, I promise . . . I’ll start tomorrow.